The centre offers a range of specialised ECMO services, including VV-ECMO for severe respiratory failure, VA-ECMO for cardiac failure, V-AV ECMO (Hybrid ECMO) for combined heart and lung failure, awake ECMO, and ECMO-supported road and air transfers.
VV-ECMO primarily supports lung function by oxygenating the blood and removing carbon dioxide. VA-ECMO provides both respiratory and circulatory support when the heart cannot pump blood effectively. V-AV ECMO, also known as Hybrid ECMO, combines the benefits of both approaches to support patients experiencing simultaneous heart and lung failure. Awake ECMO enables appropriately selected patients to remain conscious while receiving the required life support.
The programme also provides ECMO-supported air and road transfers, enabling critically ill patients admitted to hospitals without ECMO facilities to access this advanced intervention. Kauvery Hospital's specialised team travels to the referring hospital to assess the patient and initiate ECMO support when clinically indicated. Patients are subsequently transferred to Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, under continuous ECMO support, where they receive further treatment through advanced facilities and a multidisciplinary team of specialists.
Managing patients requiring ECMO often involves challenges beyond initiating life support. Patients may simultaneously need assistance for other failing organs, careful fluid management, specialised dialysis and coordinated treatment across multiple medical disciplines. Addressing these requirements, the Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support has established a dedicated multidisciplinary team of experienced specialists, supported by continuous monitoring and treatment decisions tailored to each patient's changing clinical condition.
The centre brings together ECMO specialists, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiothoracic anaesthetists, perfusionists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, critical care specialists, nephrologists, haematologists, infectious disease specialists, ECMO-trained nurses, physiotherapists and other relevant clinical teams to ensure comprehensive and coordinated patient care.
The programme is led by Dr. K. Madhan Kumar, Director – ECMO & VAD, Senior Consultant – Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon at Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani. He currently serves as President of the ECMO Society of India.
Explaining the role of ECMO in managing critical conditions, Dr. Madhan Kumar said, “When severe heart or lung failure does not respond to conventional treatment, ECMO provides temporary life support, allowing doctors to treat the underlying condition and assess the potential for recovery. Managing such patients often involves addressing complications affecting other organs, requiring careful monitoring and timely clinical decisions. We are pleased to have established the Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support, bringing together advanced facilities, specialised expertise and a multidisciplinary team to manage complex critical-care cases and provide comprehensive, coordinated care tailored to each patient’s needs.”
Dr. Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-founder and Executive Director, Kauvery Group of Hospitals, emphasised the importance of coordinated medical expertise in advanced critical care.
“Advanced critical care depends on the strength of the team behind it. The ability to manage complex conditions comes from bringing together the right specialists, technology and clinical judgement, particularly when a patient’s needs change rapidly. At Kauvery Hospital, our focus is on building these capabilities as part of a coordinated approach to care, so that patients with serious and complex conditions can be assessed and treated by teams equipped to address their needs,” he said.
Through the Kauvery Centre for ECMO & Advanced Life Support, Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, is focusing on specialised heart and lung support, multi-organ care and complex critical-care management. The programme combines advanced life-support technology, clinical expertise and multidisciplinary coordination to manage patients whose conditions may no longer respond adequately to conventional treatment.
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